Whitecaps' season ends in Game 3 loss to Loons

Delbridge Langdon Jr. | The Grand Rapids PressWest Michigan Whitecaps starter Luke Putkonen pitches against the Great Lakes Loons in Game 3 of their Midwest League playoff series Friday.

COMSTOCK PARK -- It's not how you start, but how you finish, and the West Michigan Whitecaps have no one to blame but themselves for their first-round exit from the Midwest League playoffs.

Entering their best-of-three series against the Great Lakes Loons, the Whitecaps had scored just two runs in their previous three games and ended the regular season with a four-game losing streak.

That streak reached five with a 7-2 loss in Game 1 loss to the Loons on Wednesday in Midland. The Whitecaps rebounded Thursday with a 7-0 victory, but what plagued them at the end of the season -- a lack of hitting -- was their downfall in a 3-2, 10-inning loss that ended their season.

It was the first extra-inning playoff game for the Whitecaps since 2004, when they went 16-innings in Game 4 in their Midwest League championship battle against the Kane County Cougars, who won 7-5. But West Michigan rebounded the next night to capture the title.

With five league championships in 16 seasons, West Michigan hasn't won a title since 2007 and now has to wait.

The Loons' Jamie Pedroza blasted a solo home run that just got over the right-field wall -- a hit that eliminated West Michigan and sent Great Lakes into the Eastern Division championship against the Fort Wayne TinCaps, which begins Saturday night.

The TinCaps scored three times in the eighth inning Friday and got by South Bend, 5-4, for a 2-1 series win.

After falling behind 2-0 early, the Whitecaps fought back to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning. West Michigan had a golden opportunity in the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, but Alden Carrithers lined out to third with the infield in, and Joe Bowen flew out to right to end the threat.

A slip by center fielder Ben Guez led to a Dee Gordon inside-the-park home run in the first inning, and the two errors in the third inning led to Great Lakes' second run.

"Ben has been great all season," DePastino said. "It was just a fluke.

"We made mistakes early, they made mistakes late and both had scoring opportunities, but you couldn't ask for a better series. They kicked our butts in Game 1, we come back and kick their butts in Game 2, and then tonight."

Just when you think you've seen everything baseball has to offer, another memorable moment presented itself, provided by Gordon, the Loons' leadoff hitter, arguably the fastest player in the MWL.

He lined a single to center field when Guez slipped and watched the ball roll all the way to the wall to the 402-foot mark.

Gordon turned what would have been a single into an inside-the-park home run, sliding head first as he just beat the relay throw home.

It was Gordon's throwing error to first base in the seventh inning, though, that allowed Billy Nowlin to score from second base and tie the game at 2-2.

The Whitecaps, who finished with only five hits, wasted an opportunity in the ninth and had the tying run at second base with one out after Brent Wyatt, who had two hits, legged out a double in the 10th.

After a walk to Ronnie Bourquin, Avisail Garcia struck out and Guez popped out to second to end the game.

This is the third season for the Great Lakes franchise, which is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Loons were making their first playoff appearance.

The Loons, who collected nine hits and made two errors, and the Whitecaps finished tied for second with the best overall regular-season record of 81-59.